PRICE Archives - DR News - News, Retirement, Finance

Humana Stock Price Targets Adjusted by Analysts Amid Company’s ‘Challenging Time’

Louisville, Kentucky – Humana, a leading health insurance provider, faces a challenging time ahead as analysts adjust their stock price targets following the company’s first-quarter earnings report. Despite reporting earnings of $7.23 per share, which surpassed expectations, the company withdrew its profit forecast for 2025 due to disappointing government Medicare reimbursement rates. Humana’s revenue for the first quarter totaled $29.61 billion, exceeding Wall Street’s expectations. However, the company’s decision to pull its 2025 profit forecast …

Port of Baltimore Closure Sparks Traffic Concerns and Shipping Price Hikes

In Baltimore, Maryland, the recent collapse of the Key Bridge is causing significant disruptions to the operations of the Port of Baltimore. The closure of the port is expected to lead to increased shipping prices and potential traffic congestion in the region. The bridge collapse, which occurred after a container vessel collided with one of its supports, has put a halt on the flow of ships in and out of the port. The impact of …

Price Transparency in Health Care: The Key to Empowering Consumers

Waltham, Massachusetts – In the complex world of healthcare, navigating prices can often feel like a guessing game. The lack of transparency in the U.S. health care market means that consumers are often left in the dark about the costs of procedures and services before making important decisions. As an economics professor at Bentley University, I have seen firsthand the impact of incomplete information on prices and quality in our healthcare system. When buyers and …

U.S House of Representatives Health Subcommittee Hearings Uncover Major Health Care Cost Disparity and Discuss Way to Create More Price Transparency in Health Care Costs

In Washington, D.C., the U.S. House of Representative Health Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee recently held a hearing to address the issue of health care costs and price transparency. While various other health care policy issues have been in the spotlight, federal lawmakers are considering steps to tackle the issue of transparency in health care pricing. During the hearing on January 31, shareholders and policy experts voiced their support for the “Lower Costs, …

Transparency: Hospitals Falling Short in Price Disclosure as Congress Pushes for Change in Health Care Pricing

Miami, Florida – Hospitals in the United States are required by law to make their prices publicly available online, yet only about 36% of hospitals have fully complied with this requirement. The fight for transparent healthcare prices continues as both Congress and large employers push for changes in the healthcare pricing system. Erica Jay, a cancer survivor, shared her experience of encountering drastic price variations for the same procedures at different healthcare facilities. This prompted …

Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Lawsuit Dismissed by Federal Judge

AUSTIN, Texas – A federal judge in Austin, Texas dismissed a lawsuit on Monday filed by a major pharmaceutical industry trade association challenging a new program allowing Medicare to negotiate prices with drug companies for selected costly drugs. The judge sided with President Joe Biden’s administration, stating that the lawsuit, filed by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and two other groups, lacked jurisdiction. The ruling marked a significant victory for the Biden …

Medicare Drug Price Negotiations: U.S. Makes Initial Offers in Groundbreaking Move

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. government has presented its first proposals for negotiating drug prices with pharmaceutical companies as part of the Medicare program. This move aims to lower the cost of prescription drugs for the elderly and disabled. The Department of Health and Human Services has outlined its initial offers for the Medicare drug price negotiations. This is a significant step towards fulfilling President Biden’s campaign promise to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, …

“Transparency Deemed Critical in House Hearing on Health-Care Price” – Bloomberg Law

Washington, D.C. – The push for affordable healthcare took center stage in a recent hearing in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The focus was on the growing cost of healthcare, with members expressing concerns about the economic impact of escalating prices. Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Ranking Member Brett Guthrie emphasized the urgency of addressing the unsustainable increase in healthcare spending. They highlighted the need for transparency in healthcare pricing, stressing that it is …

Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Case Sees Federal Judge Questioning Industry Lawyers

WILMINGTON, Del. – On Wednesday, drug industry lawyers faced the unprecedented situation of being questioned in-person by a federal judge regarding their efforts to prevent Medicare from engaging in drug price negotiations. The outcome did not favor the drug industry lawyers. Lawyers for AstraZeneca argued that Medicare’s new powers constituted a violation of their property rights without due process. However, the chief judge of the U.S. District Court of Delaware, Colm Connolly, expressed his lack …

SOCIAL SECURITY: LUMP SUM OPTION COMES WITH A HEFTY PRICE TAG

CHICAGO, IL – The Social Security Administration’s practice of offering an optional lump sum payment to new applicants for retirement benefits may not be as beneficial as it seems at first glance. Many applicants are not aware of this option until they apply for benefits, and the decision to accept the lump sum is often made without fully understanding the long-term implications. When individuals wait until reaching full retirement age to claim Social Security retirement …